U
Unregistered
Guest
Posting anonymously, because I am still pretty embarrassed about the entire situation.
I'll make it brief, started with not sleeping well last night, got up tired and ate a chocolate chip muffin for breakfast. Flew to pick up a guy to take him and his son to pick up his airplane, about an hour flight, mostly VFR, but about 15 minutes in the clouds going up. Center was having radar issues, so I was at 8K vs 6K, had a bit of a headache, from not sleeping, eating crap for breakfast and flying at 8K in the bumpy clouds. Landing at first destination was fine, picked my guy and his son up, departed IFR to get his airplane, another hour or so, this time at 5,000 ft in and out of the clouds, pretty bumpy, no autopilot, but nothing major until we get to the destination.
Approach has us at 3000 ft, about 2400 AGL, 6 miles out, I cancel and go straight in to an uncontrolled field, wind reported as direct crosswind 10 knots, 3700 ft paved runway. Well, we are high, but we're fast, so instead of going around like a normal pilot, I figure I can get it down without too much of an issue. Of course the float begins as I am trying to lose airspeed over the runway, I finally get it down with maybe 1000 ft left, but we are hauling butt. Lock the brakes, and in slow motion go right off the end of the runway into the grass. Taking out a runway light with the nose wheel pant and we settled in the dirt about 25 ft off the end of the runway.
The good news is no damage to the airplane other than a bruised nose fairing, no evidence of a prop strike, no nicks, paint or even dirt on the prop. But, boy did my ego take a beating!! The guys from the airport authority came out and made sure we were OK, and help us push it back to the taxiway. I offered to pay for the light and they said they had spares and not to worry about it.
How do two fairly experienced pilots run perfectly good airplane off a runway in VFR weather? Lot's of little things in the accident chain that could have and should have been avoided. The kid was asleep until we hit the dirt! I did get back in and fly home after a real close inspection, but I don't think I'll sleep tonight either.
I'll make it brief, started with not sleeping well last night, got up tired and ate a chocolate chip muffin for breakfast. Flew to pick up a guy to take him and his son to pick up his airplane, about an hour flight, mostly VFR, but about 15 minutes in the clouds going up. Center was having radar issues, so I was at 8K vs 6K, had a bit of a headache, from not sleeping, eating crap for breakfast and flying at 8K in the bumpy clouds. Landing at first destination was fine, picked my guy and his son up, departed IFR to get his airplane, another hour or so, this time at 5,000 ft in and out of the clouds, pretty bumpy, no autopilot, but nothing major until we get to the destination.
Approach has us at 3000 ft, about 2400 AGL, 6 miles out, I cancel and go straight in to an uncontrolled field, wind reported as direct crosswind 10 knots, 3700 ft paved runway. Well, we are high, but we're fast, so instead of going around like a normal pilot, I figure I can get it down without too much of an issue. Of course the float begins as I am trying to lose airspeed over the runway, I finally get it down with maybe 1000 ft left, but we are hauling butt. Lock the brakes, and in slow motion go right off the end of the runway into the grass. Taking out a runway light with the nose wheel pant and we settled in the dirt about 25 ft off the end of the runway.
The good news is no damage to the airplane other than a bruised nose fairing, no evidence of a prop strike, no nicks, paint or even dirt on the prop. But, boy did my ego take a beating!! The guys from the airport authority came out and made sure we were OK, and help us push it back to the taxiway. I offered to pay for the light and they said they had spares and not to worry about it.
How do two fairly experienced pilots run perfectly good airplane off a runway in VFR weather? Lot's of little things in the accident chain that could have and should have been avoided. The kid was asleep until we hit the dirt! I did get back in and fly home after a real close inspection, but I don't think I'll sleep tonight either.